Amazing! Győr become first to defend FinalFour title! – VIDEO, PHOTOS

According to EHF official site, Győri Audi ETO KC became the Women’s EHF Champions League 2017/18 winners after a tense 70-minute battle versus HC Vardar, taking a 27:26 victory thanks to a fast-break save from Éva Kiss in the dying seconds of extra time.

FINAL

Győri Audi ETO KC (HUN) vs HC Vardar (MKD) 27:26 after extra time (20:20, 9:9)

The packed Papp László Budapest Sportarena was treated to another spectacular Women’s EHF Champions League trophy match, as Győr and Vardar needed extra time to find a winner of the 2017/18 season.

Győr began the trophy match just as they did the semi-final,

with their strong defence making it difficult for their opponents to find their rhythm, and even the same opening goal – a ground shot from left back Eduarda Amorim.

The Macedonian team’s first goal came from Alexandra Lacrabere on a penalty in the fifth (2:1), but Vardar trailed their opponents by a steady one to two goals through the opening 25 minutes as they had trouble beating Győr goalkeeper Kari Aalvik Grimsbø. Vardar keeper Amandine Leynaud did not open the match as well as Grimsbø, but once she began to make saves, she became the Hungarian team’s nightmare, finishing the match with a rate of 41 per cent.

Leynaud saves pave the way for Vardar to equalise

According to eurohandball.com, the Hungarian handball team created their highest lead at three goals after a fast break from Nycke Groot (7:4) in the 17th minute, before Vardar capitalised on three consecutive saves from Leynaud to close the gap. In the 25th, it was right wing Sara Ristovska who levelled the game at 7:7 after eight scoreless minutes for Győr, and it remained equal as the whistle for the break sounded five minutes later.